HC Deb 12 February 1957 vol 564 cc1061-2
21. Mr. Strachey

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied that three weeks is an acceptable period for the embodiment of reservists in their units; and his plans for shortening this period in any future emergencies.

Mr. Hare

The programme for the recall of reservists for the Suez operation was spread over three weeks because some units were not required as early as others. The process of calling up the individual reservist and equipping him ready for operations took approximately seven days.

Mr. Strachey

The seven-day period is certainly more acceptable than three weeks, but can the Secretary of State assure us that it would be possible to embody reservists in a period of seven days or less, because three weeks appears to be an unacceptably long period?

Mr. Hare

I tried to be fair in giving the period. I said that the whole process took three weeks. That was because certain units were not called up at the same time as others. In the case of individuals, seven days is an approximate figure and covers the man receiving notice and being equipped and ready in his unit. If I had wished to be a little more optimistic, I might have said that it could be done in five or six days, but seven days is a fair estimate.

22. Mr. Strachey

asked the Secretary of State for War why in the recent emergency reservists were called up on the basis of five men per tank crew notwithstanding that Centurion tanks have a crew of four.

Mr. Hare

Only enough reservists were recalled to provide four-man crews for the higher establishment of tanks in the armoured regiments concerned. I think that possibly the right hon. Gentleman's informant must have based his calculation on the lower establishment.

Mr. Strachey

Were not excessive numbers of reservists called up for the purpose?

Mr. Hare

I think I might be able to help the right hon. Gentleman here. There are 60 tanks on the higher establishment, and 240 men are required to man them. On the lower establishment there are only 48 tanks. I think that the right hon. Gentleman's informant was probably working on the basis of the lower establishment.

23. Mr. Strachey

asked the Secretary of State for War why in the recent emergency it was ruled that all reservists called up must proceed overseas with their unit: and whether he is aware that owing to the excessive number of reservists called up, this ruling resulted in men who were already serving with the Colours being retained in this country in order to make room for reservists.

Mr. Hare

Only sufficient reservists were called up to fill vacancies in units required for possible operations. Most of these units went overseas. These men could not have been withdrawn without impairing the operational efficiency of units. It is true that some Regular recruits completing their training were in some cases retained in the United Kingdom. These men were needed as frontline reinforcements in the event of casualties.

Mr. Strachey

Would it not have been better to take the Regulars out in the first instance and keep the reservists as the replacements?

Mr. Hare

The Regulars were recruits who were just completing training. Meanwhile, the reservists had been posted overseas. If there had been cross-postings, that would very much have affected the efficiency of the units.